stoplight
by shuajis
Summary: Over the years, Aizawa and Shiraishi walk to work together.
1. 0905

stoplight; _0905_  
pairing: aishira (but we all know how slow burn those two are...)  
notes: set s1e1 +more in the end

* * *

It is five past nine when they first see each other.

They're at the stoplight just three minutes from the hospital on an autumn's day, blending amongst the throng of people waiting for the cars to stop and the little flashing green man to appear.

Shiraishi glances up from her emergency notes to check the lights and decides that it's safe to go through another page of peritoneal trauma. Preparing for today, her first day at Shohoku Lifesaving Centre, was a week of compiling, re-writing, and reviewing all her notes on emergency procedures from years in med school and her previous hospital.

She cracks a smile. That was the fun part.

Unwillingly, her mind wanders to the prestigious Doctor Heli system, the expectations of her family, the pressure she put on herself. Her smile drops. Regret pools from her stomach and for a moment she feels sick.

A nudge from her right shoves her towards the person on her left, notebook dropping upon collision. Gaining back balance and snapping out of her thoughts, she bows and mutters an apology before reaching out for her fallen notes.

She doesn't notice him do the same.

Their hands meet on the binds, and their eyes meet for a second too, but she looks away out of embarrassment. Beside her, he coughs, and pushes the notebook into her hands. "Here."

She meets his eyes again, and this time she can't help but look at him. His hair is a bird's nest, fluffy and slightly curly at the ends; his skin, she notes with childish envy, is smooth and pore-less and beautiful; his eyes are dark, almost black – like dead fish eyes if she's honest, but they held a certain determination she recognised, not dissimilar to her own.

She feels her stomach ease. "Thanks." She meant it.

He holds her gaze, nods once and walks across the street in the direction of the hospital. Although she's going the exact same way, Shiraishi keeps her distance out of courtesy, and maybe something else.

It takes her nearly ten years to figure out what.

* * *

A/N: I had to get this out of my system my aishira trash compartment is overflowing

also im on holiday at the moment, which could mean i get all four chapters done before my freedom is ripped from me? yay!

anyway thanks for reading! i'm open to constructive criticism and random cry sessions about aishira! please dont hesitate please i just want someone to talk with about them more TT_TT


	2. 0630

stoplight; _0630_  
pairing: blue + white  
notes: set some time after s2e7

* * *

It is six thirty in the morning when he catches up to her at the stoplight.

The sun has yet to come out, but Aizawa notices her in the shadows: her long hair fluttering in the harsh winter wind, her hand tucking her unusually unruly fringe behind her ear, and her usually pale skin is paler but darker around her eyes. She looks tired.

He watches her try to supress a shiver, and the hand holding a hot pack in his pocket itches to give it to her, but it's his last one and he's pretty cold himself.

Besides, they're not exactly friends, are they?

Ever since their drunken episode at Mary Jane's two weeks ago, ever since they confided in each other about their troubles, he felt a shift in their relationship.

Or has something always been there?

He furrows his brows, still staring at her. Matters such as these hardly bothered him, as his focus was, and still is, fully on his goal to be a well-respected and famous surgeon. He's on his last months of fellowship, the last sprint before the finish line, and he cannot afford to get distracted.

Shiraishi, feeling his stare, turns her head and smiles weakly. "Good morning, Aizawa," she croaks.

The sun chooses this time to rise right in front of him, and Aizawa blinks slowly, adjusting his eyes to the brightness. "Morning." He frowns. "Are you sick?"

He can't tell if the sudden colour on her cheeks is due to a well-timed gust of wind, or if she is taken aback by his concern. Either way, he thinks – noting the way the rising sun kisses her skin – it's better than the unhealthy paleness earlier.

"I – yeah."

They hear the high beeps of the stoplight indicating it was safe for pedestrians to cross, and they fall into step towards the hospital.

She sniffles. "I know it's a terrible time to be sick," here she grumbles, "especially when I'm _still_ lagging behind you in flight numbers."

He can't help but smirk, his competitiveness rising to the surface. "It's because I'm the best."

She snorts, not feeling all that sick anymore. "Sure. Just wait till I beat you."

She's looking straight ahead at the entrance to Lifesaving, determination set on her face. She doesn't notice his smirk soften to a small smile. "I will."

When she returns to the staff station after her morning ICU rounds, she finds an unopened hot pack on top of her notebooks.

* * *

A/N: is this ooc? is the sun really the sun or is it shiraishi's smile? are aishira flirting?

do they realise they are flirting?

someone help these two please

please leave comments and things i could work on more!

a-flowingheat: im so sorry idk how to respond to reviews on ffnet so if ur reading this HI! and as to what shiraishi realises... perhaps... l o v e...?


	3. 1550

stoplight; 1550  
pairing: shiraizawa  
notes: between s2 and s3 hehe

* * *

It is almost four in the afternoon when she sees him smile.

Waiting for the stoplight, she spots him easily from the crowd at the hospital's entrance. She hasn't seen him much since his transfer to Neurosurgery aside from the brief consultations, but she recognises the familiar line of his figure, now adorning blacks instead of blues, his hair shorter than she's ever seen it.

From the distance, she can make out his strong, capable hands holding someone else's as he leads them slowly towards a waiting taxi. Her breath hitches a moment, then Aizawa Kinue comes into view.

Worry quickly overtakes her – was Aizawa's grandmother admitted into the hospital again? – though, if she's honest with herself, her worry was more for Aizawa than his grandmother.

She recalls how Aizawa's resolve, always sure and confident, crumbled at his grandmother remembering the promise she made to buy him snacks, but not _him_. How he told her he wanted them to live together after his grandmother recovered, even if he couldn't look after her as well as a rest home could. How he confided in her about the lie his grandmother kept, and his father not turning out to be the person he thought.

She gazes up to the sky in a silent prayer, hoping for things to be okay. For him. When she looks back to where they were, Aizawa's smiling cheekily, teeth out, yet his eyes soft in the way it only is when he's looking at his grandmother.

The stoplight beeps, and she takes that as a sign to stop snooping. Embarrassed for an unexplainable reason, she keeps her head down, hoping Aizawa nor his grandmother would not recognise her walking by.

"Kousaku, isn't that your friend?"

Cursing silently, Shiraishi halts in her steps. "Ah! Good afternoon Kinue-san, Aizawa-sensei," she bows politely.

"Shiraishi," Aizawa nods.

"How are you, Shiraishi-sensei? I heard you graduated from fellowship!"

As Shiraishi replies, maintaining light conversation, she observes Aizawa; he seems to remember that his hand is still around his grandmother's like a kindergartener on his first day of school – the tips of his ears are red. Shiraishi holds back a giggle.

Still, he doesn't let go.

"Kousaku, you're gripping me too tightly, dear." His grandmother's other hand pats him on his back. "I have to go now, I'll call you later okay? I'll use the mobile you bought me."

"Thank you again for being friends with my grandson, Shiraishi-sensei," Kinue continues, and Shiraishi swears she saw her wink. "I wish you all the best for your future."

Shiraishi bows her goodbye as Aizawa sends her off with a parting hug. "Bye, grandma. Love you."

"You're such a grandma's boy," Shiraishi teases, after the taxi's out of sight.

Aizawa rolls his eyes, turning to walk towards the entrance. "You were the one who told me to visit her from time to time. She just dropped me off for work."

Shiraishi hums a tune. "Did she force you to get a haircut, too?"

"How did you guess," Aizawa states dryly, running his fingers through his short strands. "I suppose it's more hygienic and practical. I don't hate it."

They enter the elevator when it dings.

"Neither. It looks good on you." Shiraishi steels herself. "Especially when you do this." Turning to face him, she points at her cheeks as she smiles the way he did earlier – teeth and gums and all.

Aizawa blinks.

The elevator dings again, signalling its arrival at Lifesaving. Straightening herself, she steps out and says, "See you around!"

She sprints to the side of the elevator and hits her head repeatedly on the pillar, regretting every decision she's made.

Just as the elevator closes, she hears Aizawa's voice: "Cute."

* * *

A/N: did aizawa say _kawaii_ "cute" or _kowai_ "scary"?

who the heckie knows! shiraishi just might be imagining the entire thing heeeheeee

anywho im sorry about the late upload... im back at uni and... life...

but i have been working on something else too! so keep a look out for that if you like

as always, thank you for all the kind reviews T_T thank you for taking the time to write them i really appreciate it TT_TT

and thank you for reading this chapter!

if you have any constructive criticisms or comments please don't hesitate! or if u just wanna talk about aishira PLEASE DO!


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